One of the great privileges of my work at Saint John's University is the chance to see first-hand the connection between donors and students. Simply put, the generosity of donors impacts the lives of our students, and it does so in ways that we don't always appreciate. So it's amazing to learn how a particular gift translates into an opportunity for one student to discover his talents and flourish. And beyond that, it's an inspiration to see these young men graduate and then go on to careers that embody the shared values that have marked the men of Saint John's for generations.

On more than one occasion I've felt that a vague "thank you" in a letter just didn't quite do it. More than once I've wanted to attach a long list detailing exactly how their dollars have touched the life of this student or advanced the skills of that faculty member. But of course it's just not feasible to do that on a grand scale. Letters can only give a snapshot of what's going on. And we can't go sending letters every week to all the people who help Saint John's flourish.

The point of this blog is to give you the stories that letters cannot. Every Tuesday I and my colleagues in the Office of Institutional Advancement look forward to sharing with you the stories of the people who fill the halls of Saint John's. We want to tell you about the the student whose hard work has carved out a promising future. We want to give a glimpse into the lives of alumni who have come to embody the values of service and hard work that are the hallmark of our alumni. And we want to update you on the dedication of our faculty and staff, whose energy drives the entire community.

But of course that's still not the entire picture, because it also includes the generosity of donors who join to make Saint John's possible. Whether through their support for the Student Fund, the establishment of a named scholarship, or the funding of some research program or athletic activity, it is our friends and alumni who partner to make all this happen. Their stories are equally important, and we hope to weave them into our weekly posts.

Each Tuesday you'll find an entry written by me or by one of my colleagues. Naturally we hope you'll find our posts interesting, and we also hope you'll encourage other readers to subscribe. Word of mouth will be our primary source of advertising, so we need your help!

If you've ever wondered where your gift goes, this is one place where you'll learn more. If you've ever asked whether your generosity has made a difference, here's where you'll discover an answer to that question. This blog tells the inspiring story of how one generation helps the next generation to take its place in the world. And for your generosity in making these stories happen at Saint John's, we thank you!